IT Growth
Singapore has not always been a large investor in information technology. It has not been since the last two decades that IT has really gotten off the ground. Currently, IT plays a very large part in Singapore's economy. The use of IT is a major part of Singapore's strategy into the 21st century. The reason behind this strategy is to make Singapore a more competitive nation and ideally the springboard for the rest of the Asian market. If Singapore can move forward using IT, the investment potential will continue to rise as organizations from around the world realize that they can use this to their advantage.
Major Customers (Military, Government,
etc.)
The government of Singapore has established a vision for the year 2000 in order to help make Singapore a more competitive nation. At this time, the biggest customer of IT is the government. It is the government who is responsible for the development of Singapore into an IT nation. In 1992 the Harvard Business Review called the Singapore Civil Service, "The most automated in the world" Computers are used widely in the government and in 1994, there was a ratio of two computers to every three government employees.
The private sector is also becoming a larger customer of IT. The number of people and homes using information technology continues to increase. As computers are used more and more in schools and offices, the demand for these services at home will increase.
Industries that are major customers of IT include the aerospace, electronics, and manufacturing sectors. The government of Singapore has developed visions for the year 2000 in these industries.(24) Because information technology is so important in establishing a competitive advantage, the government wants to make sure that technology is incorporated into their processes.
Foreign investors are another customer of IT. Many companies have established operations in Singapore in order to take advantage of the country's infrastructure and development of IT. This becomes even more important as the country recruits foreign investors in the future. If Singapore fails to continue advancing its use of IT, many high-tech investors will see Singapore as a less desirable place to invest.
Sophistication of Domestic Customers
The domestic customers of IT in Singapore are sophisticated due to the fact that they are exposed to IT from a very young age. Because of the wide use of computers in schools and offices, the majority of the population has a working knowledge of IT and how it can be of use to them. On the other hand, even though information technology is widely used by citizens of Singapore many believe that the domestic market is too small to produce a substantial amount of domestic demand. This may be true but citizens of Singapore are sophisticated enough to test demand for IT related products.
Special Cultural Attributes
Singapore has a number of cultural attributes that help the development of IT in the country. The fact that English is an official language makes the development of IT somewhat easier since the current language of IT is English. The early exposure to computer technology whether it be through schools or manufacturers using technology is an important factor. If the use of IT is encouraged from all angles, people are more likely to accept and thrive in such an environment.
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